


ziall bits

by threeturn



Series: tumblr fic [7]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 09:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7612288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/threeturn/pseuds/threeturn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ficlets about Zayn and Niall in love, including kissing ziall, house party ziall, leftie ziall, aftermath ziall, and star wars: the ziall awakens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. so that's what you like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niall kisses wax Niall; Zayn notices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](https://valencing.tumblr.com/post/69560976904/x-so-thats-what-you-like-says-zayn-later) on tumblr.

“So that’s what you like,” says Zayn, later, first because he can’t stop thinking about it, and second because he’s an idiot. 

“The Jameson’s?” Niall waves the whiskey bottle he’s pulled from the mini-bar. “Same as always.”

“No,” says Zayn. He could explain or he could let it drop. Niall’s cheeks are looking exceptionally pink, so apparently explaining it is. “The, like. When you were kissing?”

“Zayn,” says Niall, coming to sit next to him on the hotel bed. “So far today I have kissed Lou Teasdale, Paul, that cute terrier Louis tried to steal, and the concierge. You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“Yourself,” says Zayn. “I mean, wax Niall. You, like, you rubbed noses, and you kissed yourself like, like, a feather, like an angel kind of feather kind of butterfly bunny _something_ that’s really soft and sweet, like—”

“Zayn, mate,” says Niall. “Get a hold of yourself,” and Zayn realises that he’s rocking back and forth a little and clutching his hands.

“It’s just a very nice wax figure,” he says, forcing himself still. “I don’t wonder you appreciated it.”

Niall wrinkles his forehead, as if he’s thinking hard. “Not sure I remember exactly. We were all of us messing about.”

“Maybe,” says Zayn. He wonders how much of that Jameson’s Niall would have to drink to forget Zayn ever brought it up. He wouldn’t’ve said anything, only he’d like to know how to put his mouth on Niall’s. Just in case it’s something he might ever get to do.

Niall looks a little exasperated. “You’re not even gonna try jogging me memory?”

Zayn tries to keep the edge out of his voice. “I just did, didn’t I?”

“Not, like, personally.” Niall widens his eyes. It’s the innocent look he uses when fans make indecent suggestions. “Not, like, showing me with your face.”

“With my—” Zayn’s heart starts beating faster.

Niall nods. “You said something about—noses?”

Zayn takes a deep breath and leans in, brushes the very tip of Niall’s nose with his. Niall sighs and lifts his face to Zayn’s. “It’s all coming back to me now,” he whispers, and then Zayn gets it.

“You fucker,” he mutters, and very very gently lets his lips skate along the corner of Niall’s mouth, feels Niall’s breath against his cheek.

“Remind me some more,” says Niall, smiling so, so sweetly. “That’s what I like.”


	2. i'll come by for a drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midnight Memories video au.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](https://valencing.tumblr.com/post/75294090093/ill-come-by-for-a-drink-zayn-had-promised) on tumblr.

_I’ll come by for a drink_ , Zayn had promised Greg, _for old times’ sake_. But the party is rubbish, and by the time the dog jumps up next to him on the sofa, looking just as bored and exasperated as Zayn is, he’s already regretting it. Then Greg’s little brother appears in the doorway, looking…older. Not so much like the kiddie he’d last seen years ago, bouncing a basketball off his head. 

Niall jerks his head – _c'mon_ – and it’s not like Zayn has anything better to do, so he follows the lad into his bedroom. Niall’s still got a rocket-ship duvet and a JLS poster on the wall. “What is it then?” says Zayn. He nods at the guitar on the bed. “You gonna play me a nursery rhyme?”

Niall’s face goes a bit pink. “I’m at uni now, you know. And I can play lots of things.”

Zayn shrugs. “All right.”

“Yeah, ’m gonna get a band together. Gonna make it.”

“Proper rockstar,” says Zayn, amused.

“Yep. Just need a year or two to sort out my sound.” He laughs so nervously Zayn can tell he means it.

“Was that all you wanted to tell me?”

“Also,” says Niall quickly, “also that you’re fit.”

“Whoa, okay,” says Zayn, rolling his eyes.

Niall’s face twists a bit. He laughs again, ducking his head and turning away.

“Oh,” says Zayn, “you meant it. Hey, hey, it’s okay.”

“Sorry,” says Niall. “I meant to be a bit more—”

“No, it was fine,” says Zayn. “Yeah, fine, the way you caught my eye out there, that was smooth.”

“Yeah?” Niall’s face brightens. “Soyouwannamessaround?”

“Well,” Zayn says.

“You think I’m a kid.”

“‘Course not,” says Zayn gently, because he does. He takes Niall’s chin in his hand, inspects his cheek. “Stubble everywhere.”

“You’re making fun of me,” says Niall, and when he laughs again, not happily, something lurches inside Zayn. He’s forgotten to take his hand from Niall’s face, so he figures he might as well put his mouth there too. Niall’s so still for Zayn’s kiss. He opens his mouth only a little, like he’s not sure if he’s allowed. _You are_ , is what Zayn tries to tell him with his tongue. It suddenly seems important to make him believe it.

When Zayn pulls away, Niall’s eyes are wide. “What do you want me to do?”

Zayn looks at Niall biting his wet lip, waiting for Zayn to tell him what happens next. He could ask for Niall’s kisses or his hand or his mouth and most likely Niall would just go even pinker and do it. So instead he pushes Niall back against his stupid kid’s bed and drops to his knees. His breath catches when he feels Niall hard under his hand.

“Oh, oh,” says Niall, staring down at him. “ _Oh_.”

“Ssh,” says Zayn, pulling at Niall’s zipper. “Anyone ever done this for you before?”

“No,” Niall whispers, and he sits down heavily on the bed. His sweet face is elated, resolute. “But I reckon I’ll get used to it, once I’m a rockstar.”


	3. who is that bespectacled blond dreamboat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zayn and Niall support public transport.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](https://valencing.tumblr.com/post/84426264752/criminiallar-adorably-nerdy-research-mode) on tumblr.

“Who is that bespectacled blond dreamboat in the vintage _bollocks to the poll tax_ t-shirt?” wondered Zayn as he slipped into the public transport community meeting only seventeen minutes late. Zayn was there to do research for the screenplay he was writing. His protagonist was a tram driver who defends cheap, accessible public transport against vampire attack, and Zayn wanted to get the details right. Maybe this rosy-cheeked cutie typing earnestly on his laptop could help.

Zayn walked up the aisle as inconspicuously as possible and slid into the empty seat next to him. The meeting hadn’t started yet but Zayn wasn’t sure how to start a conversation, so he opened his notebook and doodled a ringed planet and a couple of asteroids instead. The boy shifted in his seat and pointed at Zayn’s drawing.

“Is that Saturn?” he whispered. 

“I guess so,” said Zayn, who’d just been thinking about sketching in a Martian.

The boy breathed out a happy sigh. “I’m Niall, by the way. Outer space is sick, innit?”

“Deffo,” said Zayn, noticing how bright Niall’s eyes were behind his very attractive glasses. “I love space." 

"Me too!” Niall said, beaming. “How do you feel about higher wages for teachers?”

“I feel _great_ about them,” Zayn said fervently. “I’m just basically in favour of the redistribution of wealth in general.”

Someone cleared her throat loudly at the front of the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention please…”

“Oops,” hissed Niall. “I wanna speak with you further about reinvesting in our local communities but I need to put all this down in my spreadsheets. Look, I’ve got a new computer!”

“Wicked,” agreed Zayn. He couldn’t see much of the actual computer because it was plastered with stickers promoting Derby and economic justice. Zayn turned his notebook to a new page and wrote IMPROVING THE TRAMWAY at the top, underlining it a couple times to demonstrate his conviction. He tried to focus on what he needed to know for his screenplay. The main character was a shy boy from Bradford with a devastating right hook. But he worked alone. Maybe Zayn ought to give him a love interest. Like, a cute Irish organiser for the tram workers’ union.

There was a nudge at his elbow. “Hey, you got plans after?”

“No…?”

“You wanna check out the space station? We could watch it fly over right from my garden.”

“Yes,” said Zayn quickly, thinking of standing with Niall in the dark, holding hands. Sometimes _research_ and _romance_ were the exact same thing.

Niall grinned. “Hey, I don’t know your name.”

“Zayn,” said Zayn, and Niall opened up a new spreadsheet and typed his name at the top.


	4. niall is unpacking his last suitcase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the OTRA tour is over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](https://valencing.tumblr.com/post/115941815762/fic-where-niall-is-unpacking-his-last-suitcase) on tumblr.

Niall is unpacking his last suitcase from tour and realizes he’s still got one of Zayn’s t-shirts mixed in. Niall sets it aside and puts everything else in its place but this time he doesn’t get that satisfied feeling that organizing everything properly usually provides because Zayn’s t-shirt is still lying there on his bed. Niall folds it finally and puts it in a drawer and goes to start dinner but a half an hour later when he’s got the chicken in the oven he runs back upstairs to take the t-shirt out of his drawer because it doesn’t really belong there. It’s Zayn’s. 

He puts it in the laundry hamper and then takes it out again because it’s not actually dirty—he washed it after the last time he wore it and he was always planning to give it back. He puts it on and then takes it off again because he doesn’t want to think about the last time he wore it: he’d been lounging next to Zayn in one of the dressing rooms and Zayn had massaged his shoulder through the thin, worn fabric. He folds it again and puts it in his bag. 

The next day he ends up on Zayn’s doorstep, because honestly, what else is he supposed to do with the t-shirt? Everything should be where it belongs. Zayn hasn’t changed the code on the security gate, which is good because Niall didn’t call ahead. Now he rings the bell and texts, standing there in front of Zayn’s door. _Its me_ , is all he can think of to type. When Zayn comes to the door, his eyes are tired. He stands there looking at Niall. 

Niall holds out the t-shirt. “I found this,” he says. 

“What in the world?” Zayn rubs the side of his face, weeks worth of beard growth. 

“I’ve got your t-shirt. I’m giving it back." 

"I don’t need it,” says Zayn. 

“But it’s yours,” says Niall, and his voice cracks. “It’s yours, Zayn." 

"Fuck, Niall,” says Zayn. He looks past Niall’s head as if he’s only just realized they’re standing on the doorstep. “Come in." 

Niall hadn’t thought this far ahead. He doesn’t want Zayn to think the t-shirt was only an excuse to see him. He doesn’t want Zayn to be kind now. 

When Niall doesn’t move, Zayn pulls the t-shirt gently from his hands. "I’ve got it, Niall. Now will you come in?”


	5. bb-n1all is a highly competent andromech co-pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Star Wars au: Zayn's status is still unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](https://valencing.tumblr.com/post/137294290487/but-niall-as-bb-8-and-niall-the-spaceship) on tumblr.

BB-N1ALL is a highly competent andromech co-pilot, but because he’s so damn cute, not everyone recognizes the precision of his hyperspace calculations or the deftness with which he wields his arc welder. He’s okay with being underestimated though, because the protective affection that comes along with it makes him feel safe. It seems to set humanoids at ease to treat him like a pet, makes them want to tell him their secrets. He responds with an inquisitive, sympathetic chirp and they go off feeling better, whether they speak binary or not.

Sometimes people are surprised to find that he flies with crack pilot Zayn Malik. Friendly BB-N1ALL paired with the notoriously moody Zayn, who seems ill at ease in the dining hall and never shows up for the Friday night dance? They don’t see how carefully Zayn talks through each mission with him, or the relief on Zayn’s face post-mission when he sees that BB-N1ALL’s made it through unharmed. They don’t see how seriously Zayn listens to the flood of beeping when BB-N1ALL’s excited or how gently Zayn reaches out to still BB-N1ALL’s head when he’s nervously rotating himself into a state.

Then BB-N1ALL is stranded alone on an Outer Rim planet after a firefight. Zayn is gone: captured or wounded but not, BB-N1ALL is sure, entirely powered down. The droid spends the days rolling over a bleak burnt-out landscape, looking for his friend. Weeks later, BB-N1ALL is recovered, but his eager beeps trail off when the rescue crew informs him that Zayn’s status is still unknown.

Back on base, BB-N1ALL delivers the required report to his commanding officer, but rolls away when she begins talking about reassignment. “Do you miss him?” General Organa asks when she finds him in Zayn’s quarters. But he doesn’t answer. His self-preservation protocols do not allow it.


End file.
